'Magic mushrooms' alarms officials

CEBU CITY – Councilman Pastor Alcover Jr has urged authorities to look into the reported proliferation of wild mushrooms often called "Magic Mushroom" due to the presence of Psilocybin, a hallucinogenic chemical which can have a variety of effects, ranging from euphoria to hallucinations.

Alcover, chairman of the committee on agriculture, cited various reports saying many young people who consumed the mushroom were hospitalized. He said people were purchasing wild mushrooms in mountain villages.

Alarmed by reports that many youngsters buy this kind of mushroom because of its alleged addictive and hallucinogenic effects, Alcover urged the city government to stop its proliferation before it can create havoc for the city youth. "This is very alarming for our youth. We should act at once against its proliferation,” Alcover told the Philippine News Agency.

Alcover said many youngsters from the upland villages were admitted to Guba District Hospital after consuming wild mushrooms. Although he could not determine the number of young people hospitalized after eating wild mushrooms, he said some of the victims reportedly boiled the fungus and drank the broth. “Duna nay mga batan-on gikan sa siyudad nga moadto sa bukid aron mopalit lang og wild mushrooms,” he said.

Another local legislator and lawyer Joselyn Pesquera warned Alcover about using terminologies, saying there is no crime when someone eats mushrooms. However, she said there is a need to identify which particular species of mushroom that the youngsters are reportedly fixated on. 

But according to a report by the MedicalNews Today, Psilocybin works by activating serotonin receptors, most often in the prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain affects mood, cognition, and perception. Hallucinogens also work in other regions of the brain that regulate arousal and panic responses.

Psilocybin does not always cause active visual or auditory hallucinations. Instead, it distorts how some people that use the drug perceive objects and people already in their environment. The quantity of the drug a person consumes, their past experiences, and their expectations of how the experience will take shape can all impact the effects of psilocybin.

The hallucinogenic effects of psilocybin usually occur within 30 minutes after a person ingests it and last 4–6 hours. In some individuals, changes in sensory perception and thought patterns can last for several days. The potency of a magic mushroom depends on: Species, origin, growing conditions, harvest period and whether a person eats them fresh or dried. The amount of psilocybin in dried mushrooms is about 10 times higher than that found in their fresh counterparts.

Mushrooms containing psilocybin are small and usually brown or tan. In the wild, people often mistake mushrooms containing psilocybin for any number of other mushrooms that are poisonous. People usually consume psilocybin as a brewed tea or prepare it with a food item to mask its bitter taste. Manufacturers also crush dried mushrooms into a powder and prepare them in capsule form. Some people who consume these mushrooms cover them with chocolate. (John Rey Saavedra and Cebu Examiner)